Grains of Paradise (Melegueta Pepper)

Grains of Paradise are a hard to find spice that comes from a leafy plant native to the West African coast. The seeds are brown with a bit of a sheen, resembling satin, and are often used as a substitute for black pepper. Before they were given the name “Grains of Paradise” the seeds were known as alligator pepper or African pepper.

dried seeds of the Aframomum melegueta plant, a member of the ginger family